In the morning of October 4th, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation affiliated with the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, in a joint and simultaneous security operation with the Spanish General Commissariat of Judiciary Police, were able to dismantle a terrorist cell active in both Nador and Melilia, suspected of being linked to the so-called “Islamic State”.
Security interventions by members of the special force of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance resulted in the arrest of two people in the city of Nador, while the Spanish authorities arrested nine other members of the same terrorist cell in Melilia.
The inspection resulted in the seizure of information equipment and devices, namely mobile phones, telephone chips, a computer, and digital carriers, which will be subject to the necessary digital expertise.
This joint security process was carried out within the framework of the privileged cooperation between Morocco’s security interests and its Spanish counterpart, which stems from the bilateral concern to strengthen mechanisms for combating terrorism and extremism and the joint endeavor to neutralize all threats to the security and safety of the two countries.
According to preliminary findings, members of this terrorist cell were actively disseminating and promoting extremist ideology by broadcasting speeches and digital content through information systems, or through direct communication, in order to recruit people to join terrorist organizations. The suspects were intensively publishing speeches with an extremist payload that incite to engage in terrorist organizations.
Investigations conducted also revealed that the alleged emir of this terrorist cell had links to the cell dismantled in December 2019 in both the suburbs of Madrid and Nador, in a joint operation carried out by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance and its Spanish counterpart.
The members of this terrorist cell, aged 34 and 39, arrested in Nador, are in custody following the judicial investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office responsible for cases of terrorism and extremism. The competent Spanish authorities, who have initiated arrest proceedings, will be responsible for conducting investigations on the remaining members of this terrorist cell.
This joint security process once again reflects the importance of bilateral cooperation between Morocco’s security interests and its Spanish counterpart and further demonstrates the need for security coordination to neutralize the links between terrorist cells that threaten the security of the two countries.